Mother’s Day – it’s the perfect excuse to celebrate Mums and the relentlessly long list of things they do for us.
But not everybody celebrates it the same way! For a start, the date is different in different places. In the UK and other countries, it’s March. In the Netherlands and the US it’s May. But whenever we celebrate, here are some of the wonderful traditions that exist around the world.
Gifting
In many countries, we celebrate Mothers with gifts. Mother’s Day flowers are a particularly common choice here in the UK, in the USA and Australia, plus other countries too.
But whatever the choice of gift, giving something is common in many parts of the world.
In Peru, They Gather in Cemeteries
The focus in Peru is often on the Mothers and Grandmothers who’ve passed away. So many will choose to gather in cemeteries on Mother’s Day. But that’s not as solemn as it sounds. Far from being a sad affair, these cemetery gatherings are often jovial and happy, with balloons and flowers used to decorate the graves and an upbeat social atmosphere.
Children Stay Home on Mother’s Day in Mexico
Unlike in many other countries, Mother’s Day in Mexico can land on any day of the week. It is always 10th May regardless of whether that’s a Sunday or a Wednesday.
The biggest part of the celebration in Mexico is the children making an effort to be home the evening before Mother’s Day and the morning of it too. So the emphasis is very much on children (of any age) spending time with Mum.
A 10 Day Festival in India
In India, there is a 10 day festival every October which honours Durga, the Goddess of Mothers. One of the key stories around this festival is that of Durga returning home to her Mother to show off her own children and this theme of family reunions is a big one throughout.
It’s a huge event.
The Antrosht Festival in Ethiopia
In early Autumn each year, Ethiopians celebrate the Antrosht festival, which is dedicated to Mothers. Once the rainy season is over and the weather improves, everyone celebrates by flocking home bringing food. They eat a big family meal, sing songs and tell stories.
Time Together
While the time of year in which it is celebrated is different in many countries and perhaps even the choice of traditional gift is different too, one common theme is that of time together. Mother’s Day is really very often just about everyone making time to spend together and celebrate the Mums, Step Mums, Nannas, Aunties and other mother figures in our lives.
